Renaming our cities-loosing international identity (Page 3)

yes but not all the times, who changed banglore to bengluru, it just sounds so awkward

My previous post was to put a check on the tendency, prevalent among us (overly modest Indians), to describe the British rule in an over-positive way.

I agree with "return_to_hades" that renaming of cities, every now and then, doesn't look to have much advantages except may be that it caters to misplaced ego.  In addition, it adds to chaos and, at worst, is used by politicians to garner votes. Nevertheless, I approve renaming only in exceptional cases.

There were some interesting things to read in the post of "return_to_hades".
Regarding French Fries, the name must have been given by British people. In past, due to not so friendly relations between British and French, the tendency was to call anything bad, or funny, as French. Not to mention that french fries in general are looked down upon as unhealthy, when we talk of traditional and sophisticated cuisine.

Belgium link could be because many people in Belgium speak french and even their road signs are in French (If I remember correctly).

In any case, the French fries are called as "Frites" (with 's' silent as per french language) in France and I doubt if French know its "correct" name in english because literally no one speaks english in France.





Edited by karandel_2008 - 15 December 2008 at 10:28am

@return_to_hades - Very well written and some great points raised in your posts, as always. Keep it up and thanks for sharing.

@Karandel - Thanks for sharing, will check fallout (had it on my redar), right now battling it out in GOW 2 (insane mode ) and hey nice points raised in your posts, regarding the topic.

 

Edited by qwertyesque - 16 December 2008 at 10:19am

@CPM: I should have stated most names we are attempting to changed is an Anglicized dimunitive. Secondly the history of 'Bom Bahia' and 'Mumba Aai' does not change the fact that Bombay is an anglicized dimunitive. The etymology of the dimunitive 'Bombay' has been debated by historians as to whether it adapted from the Portguese or local dialect.

Aani kite mhanta mugo. Tu ek goankar ani ek mumbaikar ak shikheta ki bom mhanjee kite, ani amche gavache nav kaun dile. Bare as mu go tu, ki bom as mu go tu have mhanka zai.

I am not against name changing. I just think it is a ridiculous process and there are better ways to preserve history and culture. Oh well as long as I dont have to comply.

@karandel: I am not sure who named French fries. French discredit it as theirs, while Belgians claim it to be their creation. French fries are served with moules frites and that is a dish Belgian in origin (even though French restaurants usually carry it), So the Belgian link is plausible. When my sister was in France a few years ago she said that pomme frites referred to thick cut fries while frites Amerique was French fries in many of the places.

My personal gastronomic  theory is that french fries come from french cut fries like in french cut beans but the cut got lost in time.


Ah anyway while India changes their names away some people remain baffled. My poor grandma who was born and brought up in Udipi has had a hard time digesting and understanding why Bangalore is Bengaluru. She must be one of the old senile generation name changing people want to get rid off. Poor dear lady cannot even remember Bengaluru is the correct Kannada name. To think Kannada is her mother tongue.

I think I shall use the rest of my constructive life to get our state changed to Yesconsin. Maybe renaming Illinois to Illiniwek will be successful. There will be a distinctly Indian root to it. 

As a hindu I feel it's important to know our history and to correct the wrongs that were done to our nation. If that means re naming places than that is a form of healing process for me.

Ok, I finally asked a french guy and he told me that there are two types of Frites.  Thicker ones are called just Frites and these are served in the restaurants (in France). In addition, there are some thinner ones that are served in McDonalds and are called Frites Amerique. There are also other varieties like you said: Pomme Frites etc(may be because they retain some shape of potato = pomme de terre).


Edited by karandel_2008 - 18 December 2008 at 1:05pm